Welcome, transfer students!

Congratulations on your acceptance to Washington University in St. Louis! As you prepare for your transition to WashU, Student Transitions & Family Programs is here to help you throughout the process.

The Bear Bulletin is a newsletter sent to all students. Incoming transfer students will receive it twice a month throughout the summer. It contains important information about dates and deadlines, Bear Beginnings: Fall Welcome, important events, and more. Please note, the Bear Bulletin will only be sent to your WashU email account beginning in June.

Check out the first Bear Bulletin: Transfer Student Edition below to learn more!

- Student Transitions & Family Programs

Important Dates

Fall 2024

August 20*: Transfer student move-in

August 20-24: Fall Welcome

August 26: First day of classes

September 2: Labor Day (No classes)

October 5-8: Fall Break (No classes)

November 27-December 1: Thanksgiving Break (No classes)

December 6: Last day of classes

December 9-18: Reading period and finals

*Fall varsity athletes have different arrival dates. Please check with your head coach for more information.

May 2024 Checklist

Each month this summer, there will be important items you need to complete to ensure you are as prepared as possible for your arrival to WashU. Some items on the May checklist include:

• Submit your housing application if you plan to live on campus.
• Activate your WashU email account.

Communication from Academic Divisions

Check your WashU email account several times a week for important messages from your academic division. You will receive details about course registration, how to connect with your academic adviser, and may be asked to fill out important forms.

Apply for Housing

For those choosing to live in Residential Life-managed housing, please complete the Housing Application in the Housing Portal as soon as possible.

To complete the Housing Application, please follow these steps:

• Log into the Housing Portal via your WebSTAC account.
• Click on Applications from the navigation menu.
• Select Academic Year Application for Continuing Students from the drop-down menu.
• Select the application for the upcoming academic year.
• Complete each page of the application.

Learn more about completing a housing application. Contact Residential Life or call 314-935-5050 with any questions about housing.

For those choosing to live in non-Residential Life-managed housing, we have an apartment referral service that may prove helpful as you solidify housing. 

Establish Access

You should have received an email with the subject line, “Activate Your WashU WUSTL Key and Email” from the University Registrar. Your WUSTL Key will be your login and password to most university systems. This email from the Registrar will also include about setting up your WashU email account, and logging in to WebSTAC, the university portal to billing, course registration, and more. If you do not receive your WUSTL Key activation email by June 1, contact the University Registrar.

Additionally, you will need to enroll in DUO two-factor authentication to safely access email, Canvas, WebSTAC, and other university applications.

Starting in June, we will no longer be sending anything to your personal email account. It is very important that you set up your WashU email account as soon as possible to receive the information you need to prepare for arrival.

Move-In Day & Fall Welcome

We're excited to welcome you to campus in August! Move-In Day for all transfer students is on Tuesday, August 20*. Those students living in Residential Life-managed housing must move-in between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CDT. There will be a free dinner and required check-in with Student Transitions & Family Programs at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, August 20.

Bear Beginnings: Transfer & Exchange Fall Welcome will take place Wednesday, August 21 through Saturday, August 24. Attendance is required. A draft schedule is available to view!

Please complete the Transfer & Exchange Fall Welcome Registration form by Monday, July 1. International transfer students must also complete the International Student Arrival form by Monday, August 5.

*Fall varsity athletes have different arrival dates. Please check with your head coach for more information.

Need help finding information about your transition to WashU? The new students website is a great place to start. You can find information about:

• Placement exams
• Registering for classes
• Packing list
• And much more!

Update Your Family's Email Address

To ensure your family members receive university announcements, including our family-specific e-newsletter, Family Ties, make sure a parent or family email is linked to your student record in WebSTAC. Complete a family member email address update form if you'd like to make a change to your record.